I've checked the highest three settings with RMAA. 0x1d should give perfectly acceptable results, 0x1e is also still very good, 0x1f is a bit too much on paper (still only tiny differences at 0db, but still).

Absurdly, using the Clip+ with volume 0x1d is the same as using the stock 0x16, no difference in volume
...
I've checked the highest three settings with RMAA. 0x1d should give perfectly acceptable results, 0x1e is also still very good, 0x1f is a bit too much on paper (still only tiny differences at 0db, but still).

Why are the TMD/IMD levels so much higher than on the OF (more than two orders of magnitude!!), even if the overall volume on rockbox is lower (on ox1d)!? Seems like a contradiction... are the settings > 0 handled different from the highest volume setting on the OF?

Anyway - I vote for setting the volume to 0x1e, if that value actually gives more volume. It comes at almost no cost!
In fact it would be way better than the current setting if it gives you adequate volume levels before reaching values > 0!!

Getting an error while building database with r26037. Tried 3 times and got this error everytime:

*PANIC*
transfer error -18

Check the filesystem with chkdsk.exe / fsck, this error means the storage is accessed beyond its reported capacity.

It could also mean that the capacity is detected incorrectly: what is the capacity of your clip and what is the number of Blocks in System -> Debug menu -> View Disk Info ? (microSD0 is the internal storage and microSD1 is the µSD slot)

i ran chkdsk and it muttered something about some errors so i ran it again with the /f switch to fix them. i then ran it again to verify and there were no errors. but even after this, i still get the panic message.

Why are the TMD/IMD levels so much higher than on the OF (more than two orders of magnitude!!), even if the overall volume on rockbox is lower (on ox1d)!? Seems like a contradiction... are the settings > 0 handled different from the highest volume setting on the OF?

Anyway - I vote for setting the volume to 0x1e, if that value actually gives more volume. It comes at almost no cost!
In fact it would be way better than the current setting if it gives you adequate volume levels before reaching values > 0!!

From my understanding, 0dB on Rockbox is seen as the loudest possible setting the amp can handle, everything above it is overdrive, and saturation should be expected - so +6dB should give you twice the perceived loudness over 0dB, but at cost of increased distortion. It's the standard way headroom is handled in digital audio, 0dB being defined as the maximum.

At least that's how all my other rockboxed players measured as well, so I believe it is intentional. Having the Clip behave the same way would be fine, IMO.

But as I said, I didn't *hear* any increase in volume, testing stock 0x16 against 0x1d. Did anyone else perceive a higher max volume setting as louder?

i ran chkdsk and it muttered something about some errors so i ran it again with the /f switch to fix them. i then ran it again to verify and there were no errors. but even after this, i still get the panic message.